Eight Ways Goofing Off Can Increase Employee Engagement

Posted by Insightlink on 04/23/15

Your To Do List Can Wait

If you think working around the clock is going to increase your chances of success you couldn’t be more wrong. Discretionary effort, giving above and beyond, is not the same thing as working without stopping. Focussing solely on your ‘to-do’ list gives it the power to run your life and set you on a course for burnout, that could have long lasting negative impact on your quality of life.
In her recent Forbes article titled, Take a Break From Your to Do List, Liz Ryan says, ‘Your life will unfold with or without your conscious intervention, but wouldn’t it be cool to have a say in it? Wouldn’t it feel incredible to get up in the morning and know that you are on your path, doing just what you were sent down here to do?’
Ryan is telling us to take our lives into our own hands and step away from our to-do list long enough to ask ourselves what our life’s purpose really is. This doesn’t mean we should switch jobs, but that we should be more pro-active about keeping our work in perspective. The old proverb ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ is as much alive today as it was in 1846. It is just not healthy to work all the time and we are far more likely to be satisfied workers who are engaged with our jobs if we enjoy a break from our to-do lists once in a while.

On that note, here are 8 Ways to Goof Off and increase job satisfaction and employee engagement:

1. Take a walk
Fresh air combined with a change of scene can boost productivity.

2. Take a nap
Some offices offer this as a perk. Closing your eyes for a 15-minute catnap can be hugely refreshing.

3. Chat with a colleague
Even if you only make small talk, a fresh outlook on your day can help you get a new perspective on the task at hand.

4. Run an errand
Like walking around the block, getting out of the office and taking care of business can give your mind a break and the exercise will get your blood flowing.

5. Brush your teeth
The symbolism of removing decay and plaque can be especially potent when you are feeling sluggish.

6. Spend 10 minutes on social media
This is not as good for you as leaving your desk, but the mental distraction can offer a helpful break. Monitor your time however and don’t let yourself be distracted for more than five minutes.

7. Go to the gym
If your company has an exercise facility, take advantage.

8. Go out to lunchJudging from the habits of my colleagues, lunch out of the office is a dying American habit. But a healthy meal and good conversation can be nourishing on multiple levels.

It is important to know how burned-out your employees are to determine if there is a problem, and the only way to know for certain is to measure it. We have helped thousands of organizations make changes and we would love to help yours. To find out how our employee survey can measure engagement in your organization and provide you with the diagnostics to see what change is needed, give us a call at 866-802-8095 ext. 705 or send us an email at info@insightlink.com.

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Insightlink Communications are experts in employee survey design, data collection and analysis. Since 2001 we've helped companies of all sizes measure and improve their employee satisfaction and engagement.